ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE RETINOMETRA-SERRATA SPERMATOZOON (CESTODA) INTESTINAL PARASITE OF TURTLE-DOVES IN SENEGAL

The Retinometra serrata spermatozoon is tapered at both extremities. T he anterior extremity exhibits an apical cone of finely granular mater ial. The cortical microtubules are coiled in a spiral in the anterior region of the spermatozoon where 6 helicoidal crested-like bodies of u nequal length lie along them on the outside. They then become parallel to the spermatozoon axis along almost its whole length. The nucleus i s straight with a kidney-shaped cross section and its major axis has t he same orientation as the cortical microtubules. The axoneme is of th e 9 + '1' pattern as in the other Platyhelminthes. The cytoplasm is fi lled with protein granules and exhibits an increase in electron densit y at the sperm posterior end. The presence of 6 crested-like bodies, o f microtubules spiralized only at their anterior extremity and a poste rior dentification of the cytoplasm have never been reported before in Cestode spermatozoa.